A reggae band formed 1978 in Birmingham, UK. The music grasps from roots re… Read Full Bio ↴A reggae band formed 1978 in Birmingham, UK. The music grasps from roots reggae and dub to lovers rock and pop. It is the second most commercial successful reggae band with +70 million sold albums. Many of their hits have been stylishly covers of early reggae and rocksteady hits from Jamaica. After success in UK, UB40's won USA with Labour of Love (1983), their first album of covers. UB40 was 1986 the first Western band to play behind the Iron Curtain, live in Moscow, Soviet Union. UB40 is known for hits as 'Food For Thought', (1980) 'Red Red Wine' (1983), 'Please Don't Make Me Cry' (1983), 'I Got You Babe' (1985) with frontman Ali Campbell in duet with Chrissie Hynde just like in 'Breakfast in Bed' (1988). Their most successful worldwide single release is their reggae/pop version of 'I Can't Help) Falling in Love With You' (1993).

The band is one of the most culturally diverse dub Ska bands with musicians of English, Scottish, Irish, Yemeni and Jamaican parentage. The band is named from the paper form issued by the UK government's Department of Health and Social Security at the time of the band's formation for claiming unemployment benefit (UB40 = Unemployment Benefit, Form 40).

UB40 were influenced by the many Blues Parties they attended as teenagers in the multiracial Balsall Heath area of Birmingham, their love of ska and reggae inspired such original tracks as King, Madam Medusa, Food for Thought, Signing Off and One in Ten.

Their early music style was unique, with a heavy influence of analogue synthesizers, psychedelic rock guitar, saxophone and dub producer techniques which were later perfected by the late Pablo Falconer.

Ali and Robin Campbell have a musical heritage, being sons of Ian Campbell, a folk musician.

The band purchased its first instruments with compensation money Ali Campbell received after a bar fight. They have had a number of hits, most commercially and to amusement of the band, "Red Red Wine", a cover version of a Neil Diamond song (in an arrangement similar to that of Tony Tribe's version). Their most successful single release is the cover of the Elvis Presley ballad Can't Help Falling In Love which was intended to be the main title to the 1992 Sharon Stone movie Sliver and was a Number One hit across Europe and in the U.S.

Many of UB40's recordings were inspired by 1960s ska and early lovers rock songs that would have otherwise been forgotten in the public eye. Their new injection of life into so many old Jamaican hits has resulted in many musicians' and producers' renewed popularity and income.

UB40's early music often tackled social issues such as racism and unemployment.

Other artists that UB40 have collaborated with include: Pato Banton, Madness, Bitty McLean, Chrissie Hynde, Robert Palmer, Hunterz, Japanese artist Mikidozan, French artist Nuttea, Lady Saw and Afrika Bambaataa.

Legalise It
UB40 Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Legalise it, yeah, yeah,
Don't criticise it
Legalise it, yeah, yeah,
and I will advertise it
Some of them call it tambi
Some of them call it deh weed
Some call it marijuana
Some of them call it ganja

Every man got to legalise it, yeah, yeah,
Don't criticise it
Legalise it, yeah, yeah,
and I will advertise it
Singers smoke it
And players of instruments too
Legalise it, yeah, yeah
That's the best thing you can do
Doctors smoke it, nurses smoke it
Judges smoke it, even the lawyer to
So you've got to legalise it, yeah, yeah
Don't criticise it
Legalise it, yeah, yeah,
And I will advertise it
Politicians smoke it, and their children too
Policeman smoke it, when them a steal it from you
We've got to legalise it, yeah, yeah
Don't criticise it

Legalise it, yeah, yeah,
And i will advertise it

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of UB40's song Legalise It are a call to legalize marijuana and stop the criticism of the drug. The song mentions the different names that people use for marijuana such as "tambi," "deh weed," "marijuana" and "ganja." The lyrics state that everyone should have the right to use the drug without criticism and that legalizing it would be the best thing to do. The song follows with a list of people who smoke marijuana, including singers, players of instruments, doctors, nurses, judges, lawyers, politicians, and even their children. The final message of the song is a plea to legalize the drug and stop the criticism of its use.

The song was released in 1985 as part of UB40's album "Baggariddim." The song was originally written and performed by Peter Tosh, a Jamaican reggae artist who was an advocate for the legalization of marijuana. Peter Tosh co-wrote "Legalise It" with Bunny Wailer, another Jamaican reggae artist who was a member of the Wailers, along with Bob Marley.

Line by Line Meaning

Legalise it, yeah, yeah,
Advocating for the legalization of cannabis.

Don't criticise it
Stop criticizing cannabis use.

and I will advertise it
Promoting cannabis use if it becomes legal.

Some of them call it tambi
Some people refer to cannabis as tambi.

Some of them call it deh weed
Some people refer to cannabis as deh weed.

Some call it marijuana
Some people refer to cannabis as marijuana.

Some of them call it ganja
Some people refer to cannabis as ganja.

Every man got to legalise it, yeah, yeah,
Everyone should support the legalization of cannabis.

Singers smoke it
Musicians use cannabis.

And players of instruments too
Instrumentalists also use cannabis.

That's the best thing you can do
Legalizing cannabis is the right thing to do.

Doctors smoke it, nurses smoke it
Medical professionals also use cannabis.

Judges smoke it, even the lawyer to
Even people in positions of authority use cannabis.

Politicians smoke it, and their children too
Even politicians and their children use cannabis.

Policeman smoke it, when them a steal it from you
Police officers sometimes use the confiscated cannabis that they steal from people.

Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Downtown Music Publishing
Written by: OTIS MORRISON, DONOVAN KEITH BENNETT, NIGEL STAFF

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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